How Might We Continue to Collaborate Beyond This Weekend?

Report on the above session held at D&D 20. As theatremakers we often toil alone and disconnected from our peers. What can do we do about it?

The first acknowledgement was that maintaining connections between fellow artists requires commitment and investment.

Face-to-face meetings:

- Having a dedicated "3rd space" to meet in is a priority - somewhere free. Use existing infrastructure, such as libraries and theatres.

- What's the format of your meeting? Open Space/a D&D Satellite group, or a Stammtisch, or something else?

- Drama school alumni networks could play a part in raising the profile of networks/meetings?

Online meetings:

- What online infrastructure can you use to help you connect? Mighty Networks, Freegle, Discourse, Discord, Couchsurfing, WhatsApp communities etc.

- Community members need to make others aware of the community - either by word of mouth or via other online channels.

- Should your online community be organised on a location/geographic basis? It will be

For a group to be sustainable it should have an agenda and purpose. This motivates attendance. The group should not "belong" to one person, so that when this person inevitably moves on, you want the group to continue. Asking questions is critical for longevity.

What do we actually need? It was revealing that using the existing infrastructure of artists' labour unions did not appeal as a plan. So what is the need being fulfilled by the group?

What are we sharing with each other?

- knowledge

- social and cultural capital, eg our social networks/connections

- time. Is there a use for a "Time Bank" where freelancers can donate/call upon others to give up some free time to help others?